It's all about faith

I've known for some time that faith is important to Jesus, but somehow along the way, I allowed the act of doing to gain inordinate importance in my walk with Jesus. As I spend time looking closely, deeply and reflectively at what Jesus says in the Gospels, I'm struck with the fact that what pleases Jesus is not action but strong faith. Take the example of the centurion and his servant that required healing. He knew that Jesus didn't have to travel to his home to heal the servant and told Jesus this. In response to seeing this profound faith, Jesus gave this centurion one of the highest compliments during His 3 year sojourn on this earth!

In contrast, what seems most to frustrate Jesus was lack of faith, not lack of action. Right after the transfiguration, when Jesus and the 3 disciples came down from the mountain, Jesus was faced with the situation that the disciples that did not go up the mountain were unable to cure a young boy controlled by an unclean spirit. In frustration at what is called their lack of faith, Jesus proclaimed "Oh unbelieving generation, how long will I be with you". Jesus was frustrated by the weak faith of His followers.

I find myself living in a society that thrives on action, accomplishment and goals. On the one hand it shouldn't surprise me...it is the world. Yet I can't escape it and so often I get drawn into the same thinking that tells me that if I really want to be a "successful" Christian I must achieve in action.

That is not the way of Jesus. First and foremost, He is concerned that we have faith...lot's of it! Then, as He tells the disciples later in the 9th chapter of Mark, to be first in the kingdom is to be last, and to be greatest in the kingdom is to be a servant.

We don't achieve in the kingdom of God in the same way we achieve in the world.

We achieve in the kingdom of God by having faith and out of that faith seeking to serve those around us.